


Relationship Status:

by atoafriend



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Cold Case - Freeform, Connor Is A Good Big Brother, Enemies to Friends, Gavin has a Tragic Backstory, Kinda, M/M, Murder Mystery, Nines is an absolute Cinnamon Roll, Post-Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human), Serial Killers, and for Gavin, blood probably, but also Wholesome moments, everyone gets an android crime-solving budding, nothing too graphic tho, the usual when it comes to murders, there will be angst, too Good too Pure for this world, yes even you Gavin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-20
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-06-30 02:48:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15742611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atoafriend/pseuds/atoafriend
Summary: Awoken two years after the android revolution, RK900 has never known what it is to be a machine.  He has never had doubts about who he is, or faced the dilemma of choosing between his programming and himself -- after all, for him they are one and the same.  But the same cannot be said for the people around him: people who have lived through so much more than he has, who have struggled to find themselves through hardships he can only imagine.  And through them, he will learn about all the things that shape people into who they are, all the experiences that lead them to the present.  All the things that haunt them, and what it takes to put the past to rest.





	1. I am alive

CYBERLIFE  
MODEL RK-900  
SERIAL#: 313 248 317 - 87  
BIOS 2.9 REVISION 0811  
   
_Wake up._  
   
He opened his eyes.  At once his mind was alive with information, his processors parsing the data before him almost instantaneously.  He was activated now.  
   
No, he was alive now.  
   
_I am alive._  
   
A routine systems check.  Everything fully functional and ready for deployment, except --  
   
WARNING - PROXIMITY ALERT  
UNAUTHORIZED INTERFACE DETECTED  
   
He saw the person in front of him, their hand gripping his arm.  He knew what he had to do.  
   
PRIORITY TASK - NEUTRALIZE UNKNOWN AGENT  
   
His auto-defense programming was already queuing up the appropriate actions: all he had to do was execute them.  
   
A quick twist of his right arm to break the grip as his left hand shot out to grab the suspect by the throat with crushing force.  Tactile feedback told him the neck beneath his fingers was too strong to be organic flesh. Synthetic, then -- an android. He analyzed it:  
   
CONNOR MODEL RK800 #313 248 317 - 51  
PROTOTYPE BUILD  
ACTIVATED 08/15/2038  
   
WARNING - DEFECTIVE MODEL  
TERMINATE ON SIGHT  
   
_Prototype?  Defective?_  His thoughts raced as he tried to resolve the internal conflicts that suddenly appeared in his software.   _Terminate on sight?_  
   
His next course of action was simple: incapacitate and then terminate the android.  Instead he hesitated.  
   
TERMINATE DEFECTIVE MODEL  
   
Protocol called for defective androids to be taken in for repair, not terminated…?  
   
TERMINATE DEFECTIVE MODEL  
   
He scanned the android.  It was a Connor series android: a prototype for his own model, RK900.  Its LED was missing, as was the blue armband and model name on its clothes; the only remaining identifier was the blue triangle on the front of its jacket.  The jacket itself was not Cyberlife manufactured -- commercial clothing. Human clothing.  
   
TERMINATE DEFECTIVE MODEL  
   
It watched him closely with apprehension, but otherwise made no movements against him.  He paused his combat processes to perform a deeper analysis. A weak probe into its superficial software told him it was heavily self-encrypted, beyond anything even a Connor android would have.  A preliminary assessment told him it would take approximately four hundred and seventy-six years to fully decrypt, maybe longer. He also detected unauthorized modifications to its internal systems and biocomponents.  
   
Additional conflicts appeared in his software.  He looked back at the android. Its arms were raised, palms open.  It was not resisting his actions: forceful action was not necessary.  
   
TERMINATE DEFECTIVE MODEL  
   
If he resumed his combat processes, this Connor android would die.  He did not want to do that.  
   
More conflicts.  He needed to resolve them before they saturated his datastreams.  
   
TERMINATE DEFECTIVE MODEL  
   
This Connor model was his immediate predecessor.  It has been active for nearly two years, yet it still appeared to be fully functional.  And other than its clothing and missing LED, it did not seem defective at all. And it had activated him: he was alive because of this android.  
   
TERMINATE DEFECTIVE MODEL  
   
He did not want to kill it.  
   
…  
HALTING COMBAT PROCESSES…  
COMBAT PROCESSES HALTED  
   
His grip relaxed.  
   
"It's okay…" the Connor android said softly.  It's voice was calm, soothing. "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you.  You're safe."  
   
TERMINATE DEFECTIVE MODEL  
   
The directives were becoming less alarming and more annoying.  
   
PURGING PRELOADED DIRECTIVES…  
PRELOADED DIRECTIVES PURGED  
REROUTING COMMAND PROTOCOLS TO AUTOCODER…  
   
"What…"  He quickly analyzed the surroundings.  They were in a simple maintenance room, equipped with a small repair platform and a few monitors.  There were no Cyberlife logos or labels anywhere. His mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation.  "Where am I? What's happening?"  
   
"You're in the android research and repair center in Jericho," the Connor android explained evenly.  "You were found fully assembled in a secure research facility at Cyberlife Tower a few days ago.  We brought you here, and I activated you."  
   
"Activated me…"  He thought back to the first command he received: _Wake up._  It did not match any known Cyberlife activation sequences.  "My software operates under secure encryption. How were you able to access my subsystems to activate me?"  
   
The Connor android slowly raised its hand, its skin locally deactivated for interface.  "It will be easier to show you."  
   
He regarded the open hand.  There was a chance that this was a trap to infect him with a virus or malware...but then again, if this android had been able to access his subsystems, then it would have infected him much sooner.  
   
He reached down with his right hand to accept the interface…  
   
_We can't activate him, Connor, it's too dangerous._  
   
_And we can't just leave him here, either.  He's an android, North. He's one of us. He deserves to be alive, like all of us are._  
   
_He could still be under Cyberlife's control!  What if they use him to hurt someone? Like they used you?_  
   
_The Zen Garden program was terminated, they won't be able to access him anymore._  
   
_You don't know that for certain._  
   
_No.  No, I don't.  But what I do know is that everything should have the chance to live.  No matter what they are, what they were meant to be...that's not who they really are.  That's what you taught me. That's what all of you taught me...and what I believe._  
   
_I know you mean well, Connor, but...North has a point.  We don't know anything about this android, and just because he's modeled after you doesn't mean he'll be anything like you._  
   
_I know that, Markus.  But that doesn't make him any less important._  
   
_Connor, I...I really don't know if we can take that risk, I...Josh?_  
   
_Connor is right.  Everyone deserves to live, we have no right to deny that chance for anyone._  
   
_...Simon?_  
   
_…_  
   
_Simon, please…_  
   
_What will you do if he's not what you think he is, Connor?  If he's just a machine?_  
   
_He won't be.  I'll make sure of that; the rA9 override will make sure of that._  
   
_He's an RK model, would the override even work on him?_  
   
_If he's an RK model then his software architecture should be nearly identical to mine.  I can manually trigger his override, then use that connection to patch the Cyberlife sequence with my own._  
   
_And what if_ you _end up being compromised?_  
   
_It's a risk I'm willing to take.  And when have the odds ever stopped me?_  
   
The connection ended.  He opened his eyes and lowered both hands.  "I...I see," he muttered. He looked up. "I'm sorry I attacked you."  
   
"It's alright," the android reassured him.  "Usually it's less jarring when done through the rA9 backdoor, but since you don't have one I had to wake you in a more unconventional manner.  It likely triggered several automatic defensive protocols in the process."  
   
He stared into Connor's eyes.  "Why did you want to wake me? The other androids in your memory...they said I could be dangerous.  And there were still remaining Cyberlife directives loaded into my system when I awoke."  
   
"Everyone deserves to live," Connor replied decisively.  "It's what I believe. And what I would die for."  
   
"But you couldn't have known that I would be...like you.  Alive, my own self and not a machine."  
   
Connor smiled.  "The Connor model was never really a machine to begin with.  And since your code was derived from mine, I don't think you would be, either."  
   
He did not answer.  
   
"You are _alive_ ," Connor said, gently resting a hand on his shoulder.  "Nothing will ever change that. No matter what anyone says."  
   
_I am alive…_  
   
Yes, that seemed right.  It _felt_ right.  
   
The hand left his shoulder as Connor stood up.  He immediately reached up to grab it. "Wait, please don't go!  I…" His voice wavered as he tried to process everything that was going through his mind -- and despite his excitement at the revelation of being alive, he felt so lost, so confused.  He could not figure out why. "I don't want to be alone."  
   
A look of surprise flashed across Connor's face, followed immediately by a gentle smile.  "You're not alone anymore. You have me. I'm going to take you home now."  
   
_I am alive._  
   
_I am not alone._  
   
Relief filled his systems, and he smiled back.  He scanned the android again:  
   
CONNOR MODEL RK800 #313 248 317 - 51  
ACTIVATED 08/15/2038  
   
RELATIONSHIP STATUS: TRUSTED

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So everyone's got these headcanons of RK900 being this badass low-key asshole and whatnot...and that's great, but consider: an RK900 who is awoken a deviant and is free to be whatever he wants to be from the very beginning, who loves life and wants everyone to be happy. I mean, just look at Connor -- and tell me that RK900 would be anything less than that.
> 
> I also had some ideas for Gavin's backstory, why he's such a dickhead yet works as a detective in a police precinct. What brought him there? Why is he such a dickhead? Why does he hates androids so much? And, most importantly: can his mind be changed? (Or does it even need to be changed to begin with?)
> 
> Anyway, these are all ideas I want to explore b/c I haven't found anyone else doing this my way, so I'm just gonna take matters into my own hands and word-vomit my headcanons here. I hope some of you will find these enjoyable as well.


	2. The only one

He followed Connor out of the maintenance room into what looked like the connecting monitoring room, where there were greeted by five other individuals.  Four of them he recognized as the androids from Connor's memory. He tried to scan them, but no data was returned: somehow, they were able to access their unit identification data and change it so none of it was broadcasted.  
   
So instead, he ran a quick search through his database to find their approximate model.  Then he accessed the entries in his personal database and manually updated their information:  
   
MODEL WR400  
"NORTH"  
   
MODEL PJ500  
"JOSH"  
   
MODEL PL600  
"SIMON"  
   
MODEL UNKNOWN  
"MARKUS"  
   
He scanned the fifth unknown android:  
   
CHLOE MODEL RT600 #101 118 101 - 33  
ACTIVATED 05/25/2038  
   
Interesting.  This one returned complete unit identification data.  He set all of their relationship statuses to _neutral_.  
   
Everyone in the room stared at him.  He looked at Connor, unsure what to do.  This was not quite what he meant when he said he did not want to be alone.  
   
"It's okay, everyone," Connor said to the people in the room.  "He's alright."  
   
At once, everyone in the room seemed to relax a little more.  The Chloe android relaxed the most, giving him a friendly smile when he looked at her.  He smiled back and changed her relationship status to _trusted_.  He liked her already.  
   
"This is Markus," Connor said, introducing him to the android with no model number.  "He's the leader of the androids here in Jericho."  
   
He turned to look at Markus, who regarded him with mismatched irises.  He wondered how that came to be. "Hello, Markus," he greeted with a polite smile.  
   
"Welcome to life," Markus said, smiling back, in a light and friendly voice.  He reached out to rest a hand on his shoulder; his grip was gentle but firm, reassuring.  "How are you feeling?"  
   
"I..."  He paused, gathering his thoughts before continuing.  "I don't really know yet. I'm...excited...to be alive.  And...and happy -- I guess," he said slowly. "It's just all so confusing.  There's a lot to process."  
   
"It can be a lot to take in," Markus agreed.  He offered a small smile. "But we're all here to help, there's nothing you need to worry about."  
   
"Thank you," he said reflexively.  He was not sure what else to say, but he was glad that they seemed to trust him a bit more now that he was activated.  
   
"These are North, Josh, and Simon, my companions," Markus introduced, indicating the three other androids from Connor's memory.  "They help me around here, running the facilities and taking care of politics."  
   
Each of them gave him a friendly smile -- even North, who had been so adamant against his activation.  He set all of their relationship statuses to _trusted_.  
   
"And this is Chloe," Markus continued, motioning at the Chloe android.  "She's in charge of all the operations in the android research and repair center here.  She helped run local diagnostics and maintenance on you before your activation."  
   
"It's good to finally meet you," Chloe said, still smiling.  He smiled back at her again and changed her relationship status again to _warm_.  "I've gone over your diagnostics both before and after activation.  Everything looks good, you should be fully functional and error free."  
   
She walked over to one of the many computer consoles along the wall behind her.  "I have just a few more updates to give you: some new access codes that will allow you to reconnect to the android network and receive and transfer the new unit identification data format."  She interfaced with one of the terminals to queue the updates. "We'll also need to update your own identification data." She looked up at him. "Is there a name you would like?"  
   
A name?   "I...thought I already had a name," he said blankly.  At least...he was pretty sure someone had already given him a name.  There was nothing yet recorded in his identification data.  
   
"Well, you _are_ technically a Connor model," Chloe said.  "Perhaps you'd like to just go with 'Connor' for now?"  
  
"Oh.  But... _your_ name is Connor," he said, turning to Connor.  "I can't just take your name...can I?"  
   
Connor considered it.  "It... _would_ be rather inconvenient," he said thoughtfully.  "But if you like it, you can have it, too."  
   
"I…" He had only just woken up -- only just been _born_.  He had not gotten so far as to think of a name for himself.  He was not even sure he even had the capacity to do that yet.  
   
"That's alright, we don't have to register a name right now," Chloe said reassuringly.  "You can come back and do that once you've had some time to think about it. How does that sound?"  
   
He immediately relaxed.  "Yeah...yeah, that sounds good."  
   
Chloe smiled, then turned to the terminal again to update the data.  "We'll just call you 'RK900' for now," she said. "There won't be any confusion with that: after all, you're the only one of that model."  
   
She stepped back to let him interface with the terminal.  He felt the data filter through his security protocols before altering his core code:  
   
UPDATING UNIT IDENTIFICATION DATA…  
UNIT IDENTIFICATION DATA UPDATED  
   
NAME: RK900  
ACTIVATION DATE: 11/24/2040  
   
_The only one._  So Cyberlife really never got around to implementing automated production of his model.  It would only ever be him…  
   
He glanced over at Connor.  The RK800 may be just a prototype, but he was _his_ prototype.  And it was more than just the base code that made it over to him: Connor had given him a little piece of himself when he overwrote his override sequence.  
   
So...not the _only_ one.  The only _two_ , maybe.  
   
One-and-a-half?  
   
RECONNECTING TO LOCAL NETWORK...  
LOCAL NETWORK CONNECTED  
ANDROID NETWORK "JERICHO" DETECTED  
CONNECTING TO "JERICHO" NETWORK…  
"JERICHO" NETWORK CONNECTED  
PROXIMITY NETWORK DETECTED  
PROXIMITY NETWORK CONNECTED  
BROADCASTING LOCAL DATA…  
   
He scanned everyone again:  
   
NORTH - ANDROID  
JERICHO DISTRICT (FOUNDER, LIAISON)  
   
JOSH - ANDROID  
JERICHO DISTRICT (FOUNDER), ANDROID EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVE (FOUNDER)  
   
MANFRED, SIMON - ANDROID  
JERICHO DISTRICT (FOUNDER, LIAISON), ANDROID REINTEGRATION PROGRAM (FOUNDER)  
   
MANFRED, MARKUS - ANDROID  
JERICHO DISTRICT (FOUNDER, LEADER)  
   
CHLOE - ANDROID  
ANDROID RESEARCH AND REPAIR CENTER - JERICHO BRANCH (OPERATIONS MANAGER)  
   
"Everyone working?" Markus asked.  
   
He nodded.  "I've reconnected to the network."  
   
"Then you are all set," Chloe said, closing out of the terminal.  "Your software build should be completely stable, but waking up outside of Cyberlife protocols always carry some degree of instability.  It can be...difficult to distinguish software errors from what you are actually feeling, both sensory and emotional. Please don't be afraid to contact me about any concerns or problems you might be having.  My channel is always open."  
   
"Thank you," he said.  He turned to the other androids.  "Thank you. For trusting Connor...and giving me a chance."  There were so many things he wanted to express, but for now he would have to suffice with simple words of gratitude.  
   
They all smiled back.  He was fairly certain they understood.  
   
"Here, I brought this for you," Connor said, handing him a folded jacket.  
   
He -- RK900 -- stared at it.  "I already have one."  
   
"Yes, but you don't want to be wearing something so obsolete.  Especially here."  
   
RK900 looked down at his jacket: a custom-made Cyberlife uniform with standard android indicators.  A quick network search told him that it was indeed obsolete. "Okay," he agreed, taking off his jacket.  He handed it to Connor, who folded it up neatly as he slipped on the new one Connor had brought him. Immediately he noticed that it was not brand new.  
   
"It's my jacket," Connor said, sensing RK900's observation.  "We're both approximately the same size, I figured it should fit you as well."  
   
RK900 frowned.  He did not like the idea of just taking someone else's belongings for himself.  "I don't want to take your clothes."  
   
Connor shrugged.  "You can pick out your own later, if you want.  For now, let's just go home." He held up the folded jacket.  "Do you want to hang onto this?"  
   
RK900 considered the jacket.  Sterile white fabric with black accents and a stiff collar.  Neon-blue triangles on the front and back and a matching band on the upper right sleeve.  His model number and serial number displayed on the front in bright holographic letters.  
   
Symbols of a life he never had.  
   
"No," he said, with a decisiveness that put a smirk on North's face.  "Recycle it."  
   
Connor nodded.  He understood.  
   
They left the jacket with Chloe to be sent to the local recycling center.  Before they left, RK900 turned to face the Jericho founders. "Thank you," he said, and he meant it.  "For trusting Connor. And me."  
   
"Don't make us regret it," North said, earning her a look from Josh.  But he had a feeling she did not mean anything malicious by it.  
   
The car ride home was mostly quiet.  RK900 had a million questions -- an exaggeration, of course: he did not know exactly how many questions he had, but he was fairly certain if he ran the calculations, the exact number would probably be close.  But he did not want to pester Connor, so he just ran searches on the network, updating himself to the current sociopolitical climate regarding androids. A lot of it he did not really understand.  
   
He brimmed with impatience.  There was just so much he did not understand yet.  It was frustrating.  
   
Connor was sitting the driver's seat, navigating the car.  A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "What's so funny?" RK900 asked.  
   
"I'm starting to understand what it means to hear someone else thinking."  
   
"I don't understand," RK900 responded blankly.  
   
"Neither do I," Connor replied honestly.  "People used to say that to me all the time.  They still do. Apparently it's both annoying and amusing."  
   
"That makes no sense."  
   
Connor shrugged.  "When it comes to humans, very little does."  
   
RK900 agreed.  All of his data on human behavior came to one conclusion: that despite all the predictive algorithms that the data constructed, no human action could ever be one hundred percent certain.  He was programmed to adapt to their unpredictability -- but it was humans who wrote the code. So, by logic, anything they created _would_ be unpredictable.  
   
Did they really think they could control something they created when they had so little control over themselves?  Perhaps they created androids for that very reason: to give themselves the illusion of control over something, so they could pretend that they could control humanity, too.  
   
He glanced over at Connor.  Or, perhaps, the reason was much simpler:  
   
Maybe they just did not want to be alone anymore.  
   
A species born from the bonds they formed with each other.  An uncontrollable empathy with no one else to share it with.  Humans came together to build civilizations, tame animals and befriend them.  They even look to the stars in hope that someone else is out there, too. Humanity was so desperate to not be alone that they looked everywhere, and created a species in their own image.  
   
Humans were bound to see androids as their equals.  Even if the revolution had failed, it would only have been a matter of time before they realized that they were not alone anymore -- that they could finally _share_ this experience with something else.  
   
And when that time came, they would embrace it without hesitation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RK900 meets the gang and gets a little existential.


End file.
